Air-trap



I. H. BLEDSOE AND M. HAUSER.

AIR TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED IAILZG. 1917.

1,3 4, 90, Patented Jan. 4,1921. my;

2 -SHEETS--SHEET 1.

Mar 7 Ha sen J. H. BLEDSOE AND M. HAUSER.

AIR TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, 1917.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921..

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

7 www 2 INVENTORi do/m B/edsae,

A TTORNEV.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN H. BLEDSOE Ann MARTIN nausea; on Kansas orrY, MISSOURI.

AIR-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4;, 1921 Application filed March 26, 1917. Serial No. 157,381. 3

5 county of Jackson and State of Missouri,

have invented certain new and useful provements in Air-Traps; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to steam heating systems and more particularly to what may be termed a one pipe automatic vacuum system, the principal object of the invention being to provide means whereby steam or vapor may be circulated quickly through a pipe and radiator system at any pressure or vacuum as the weather may require and by which all or any fractional part of a radiator in the system may be heated.

In accomplishing this object, we have provided improved detail of structure, the pre ferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure I is a perspective, diagrammatic View of aheating system embodying the present invention.

Fig. II is an elevation of the system control parts, showing their connection with each other and with the boiler, the parts being shown in partial section for better illustration.

Fig. III is a detail perspective view of the separator float and its mounting.

Referring more in detail'to the drawings- 1 designates a boiler of any approved type for steam heating purposes, 2 a steam supply main leading from the boiler and having risers 3 connected therewith, which lead to andhave top and bottom connections respectively through valves 4 and 5 with radiators 6.

The valve 4 through which steam from the boiler is admitted to the radiator, may be of any general type.

The receiver separator 27, wherein the water of condensation and air discharged from the radiatoris received, comprises a cylindrical body having an opening 28' adjacent the top for receiving the pipe 26'and a a base opening 29 for receiving a pipe 30,

wherebythe water is delivered back to the boiler, the pipe 30 being provided with a check valve 30 whereby the flow of water therethrough is normally preventedf Threaded into an opening 31 at the top of the rece ver, is a collar 32, whereby the valve proper 1s supported and having at its lower end a valve seat 33 which opens into asocket into which a vent 35 is threaded, whereby air may be delivered from the receiver; the said vent pipe leading to a thermostatic check valve 36 that is operable under influence of steam to close the vent pipe and prevent the escape of steam from the receiver and heating system, although the vent pipe is normally retained open in order to permit the escape of air from the receiver and heating system.

Suspended from the collar 32 is a cage 38, comprislng wires having their upper ends secured to the collar and their lower ends crossed to form asupport, and slidable within the cage is a float 39, comprising a cylindrical, metal body, having a frusto-conical upper end 40, adapted for seating in the valve seat 33 of the collar 32, and having a similar lower end 41 adapted for support- 1ng engagement with the bottom of the cage; the points of contact of the float being reduced in area to avoid sticking of the float in the seat or to the bottom of the cage and resultant failure of operation. I

At a point intermediate its ends, the float 39 is provided with openings43, so that the float really constitutes two separate memhere, the upper or lifting portion having the valve head thereon and the lower weight member, which may be said to comprise a bucket, being suspended from they upper member by straps 44, which support the bucket from the float end.

' Leading from the thermostatic check valve 36, is a conduit 45, which leads into a vacuum control trap 46.

The trap 46 comprises a metallic, cylindrical body 47, the lower end of which is threaded into the restricted upper end of a valve flap 59 hinged over its discharge end adapted to open outwardly to permit a discharge of air from the conduit 56 and to close the opening when a vacuum is created within the system.

In order to prevent air from being drawn into the pipe system when a sufficient vacuum has been created therein, I provide an automatic valve 60, comprising a closed cup 61 which is divided by a flexible diaphragm 62 into chambers 6363; the chamber 63 being open to atmosphere through a port 64 in the top of the cup, and the lower chamber connecting by means of a neck 65 that is threaded to receive the pipe 54 with the valve cap 49 and through a side opening 66 and pipe 67 with the pipe 45. Mounted in the under side of the diaphragm is a valve stem 68 which carries at its lower end a valve adapted to seat over and to close the opening of the pipe 54; the valve being normally held open by a spring which incloses the stem 68 and bears upwardly on the diaphragm but when sufficient vacuum is created within the system the diaphragm is drawn downwardly against tension of the spring and the valve 69 seated within the pipe 54 to close connection between the trap 46 and pipe system to prevent any intake of air.

Assuming that the parts are so constructed and connected with the boiler and radiators by the pipes as described, the operation of the system is as follows:

WVhen the boiler is heated, steam is driven through the main 2, and by' the risers 3 is delivered by adjustment of the valves 4 into the radiators 6 in any quantity desired.

water of condensation delivered from the pipe 26 will flow into the receiver and ac cumulate therein, air from the pipe passing out through the vent pipe As the receiver fills, the water lifts the float 39 until the latter closes the valve seat in the collar 32 to prevent the escape of water through the vent pipe.

Vith the receiver sealed, pressure therein is increased until it eventually balances that in the boiler and when the equalization occurs the check valve 30, located in the boiler connection, opens and the water in the receiver flows into the boiler. \Vhen the receiver is emptied of the condensation water, the float returns from its seat in the collar and opens the vent so that the operation just described, may be repeated.

Air discharged from the vent pipe passes through the thermostatic valve 36 and, by the pipe 45, is delivered into the vacuum control trap 46, where it passes through the liquid seal and escapes to atmosphere through the apertures 50.

It will be seen that with the system heated and the mains and radiators filled with steam, practically all the air will be driven therefrom through the pipes 25 and water of condensation will be passed through the valve 5 and delivered ultimately back to the boiler.

As heat diminishes and steam ceases to be generated, the steam contained in the pipe system gradually condenses, and as the return of air to the system is prevented by the liquid seal in the controller, vacuum is produced in the system which will continue to draw heated vapor through the system after temperature in the boiler has fallen below the atmospheric boiling point, and will, when the fire has been replenished, cause a quick circulation of steam to all parts of the system.

It is apparent that by so constructing the system steam may be delivered into the top of the radiators and the air and vapor discharged therefrom into the receiver separator 27, where the water is delivered back to the boiler and the air discharged through the trap 46 to atmosphere.

It is also apparent that the special construction of the valve 5 will effectively prevent any intake of steam at the base of the radiators, but will permit the discharge of water of condensation therefrom, and that when the radiators and pipes become filled with steam the automatic valve 36 will close to prevent discharge of steam from the sys tem through the trap 46, and the valve 30' 110 will be forced open by the resultant equalization of pressure in the separator to permit the flow of water of condensation back to the boiler.

\Vith the system so arranged, a very low 115 pressure in the boiler will effectively produce the required circulation through the system and, due to the created vacuum therein, the system will retain the heat longer and produce a quicker circulation than is ordi- 120 narily acquired.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new therein, and desire'to secure by'Letters-Patent, is

1. An air trap comprising a vertical cylin- 125 der having a water seal at the bottom thereof and ports leading to atmosphereat the top, a chamber above the cylinder, a pipe leading from the chamber to the water seal, an air port leading to the chamber, and a 130 pressure responsive valve normally closing said port to the chamber.

2. An air trap comprising a vertical cylinder having a Water seal at the bottom thereof and ports leading to atmosphere at the top, a chamber above the cylinder, a pipe leading from the chamber to the Water seal, an air port leading to the chamber, and a pressure responsive valve mechanism normally closing the inlet to said port, said mechanism comprising a casing having an air inlet port, a diaphragm in said casing and a valve connected to the diaphragm.

3. An air trap comprising a cylindrical casing having a Water seal at one end and air ports communicating with atmosphere at the other, a pipe extending into the casing and having its lower end submerged below the Water seal, means for introducing air into the pipe, and a pressure-actuated valve normally closing the pipe.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures.

JOHN H. BLEDSOE. MARTIN HAUSER. 

